Synonyms

guile

American

[gahyl] / gaɪl /

noun

insidious cunning in attaining a goal; crafty or artful deception; duplicity.

Synonyms:

craft, fraud, trickery

guile British

/ ɡaɪl /

noun

clever or crafty character or behaviour

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Related Words

See duplicity.

Other Word Forms

guileful adjective
guilefully adverb
guilefulness noun

Etymology

Origin of guile

1175–1225; Middle English < Old French < Germanic; akin to wile

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

While the WSL is still a league with a divide between haves and have-nots, those that have still need guile and adaptability to beat sides lower in the division.

From BBC • Dec. 7, 2025

Like Julien Duvivier and François Truffaut before him, Kiarostami captures their innocence and guile with righteous force.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 27, 2025

Harmer outdid the Indian spinners in their own den with his guile and turn.

From Barron's • Nov. 26, 2025

In Year 18, Kershaw has found success “just on guile and heart,” as manager Dave Roberts described it.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 18, 2025

There is no guile in her replies, only sincerity and truth.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023